


moriar pro te

by SpookyFaces



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Future Fic, Give it a try, Hurt/Comfort, I suck at tagging, Liam is a soldier, M/M, Post-Apocalypse, and a betraying little shit, larry - Freeform, zayn is a prince, ziam
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-11-04
Packaged: 2020-02-28 04:50:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18749362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookyFaces/pseuds/SpookyFaces
Summary: Following the apocalyptic war, that has almost destroyed the planet, the world has been divided into two nations.Animas- those who left the city life and created new nation in the deep woods of the forests, andCineres- those who stayed in the ruins of cities and tried to start the urbanization from the beginning. The only two nations of the world have never interacted with each-other, but Cineres have been planning to occupy the lands of Animas for too long.Liam Payne, a  Cinere , the faithful soldier of the City's secret army gets an order to gain the trust of the Animas' leader's son, learn their traditions, become one of them and gain all the information needed to exterminate the forest nation. He agrees with no hesitation and steps into the lands of deep woods without a second thought. Until he meets the person he needs to destroy and his inner world gets destroyed instead.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> kinda inspired by the movie Avatar. kinda - key word.
> 
>  
> 
> *moriar pro te - die for you  
> *anima - life, wind, breeze  
> *cinere - ashes
> 
>  
> 
> i guess i can finally use my knowledge of Latin. lol
> 
> ignore the minor mistakes, it's 3 a.m. i'll edit them later

The air is too quiet. The wind crawls through the spaces between hard barks of the trees, sending silent whispers into the depth of the never-ending forest. The leaves on the trees bow their heads down, following the paths of the cold breeze. The sun barely fits through the cracks between the thick branches, only small rays of light manage to find their way towards the ground. 

The forest is quiet, and it is nothing what Liam expected it to be.

_"You are qualified enough to get into the forest. But getting out is what matters, Payne." - The rough voice of the General sends echoes through the dimly lighted room. "Those people are pure animals, cold-blooded predators that will not hesitate to kill you with their bare hands. They are cannibals, mutants, misfits of the society. You were chosen by headquarters for a reason, we know you are one of our best soldiers, experienced in surviving on the land and in the seas. But remember - the second you step your feet into the forest will be the second you set the burden of your whole nation on your shoulders. You have to make sure you don't get killed by Animas. You have to gain their trust, find their weak spots to let us destroy them afterwards. Do you understand an order, soldier?"_

_"Yes, sir." - Liam jerks a nod._

_"We've lost a few people in the woods." - The man says with a deep frown painted on his face. "We have no information about their lives, beliefs or traditions, only few facts we found out from the letters of our fallen soldiers. We have no idea how their society works, therefore we can not attack the unknown. You need to get close to the heart of their nation - the royal circle, especially the son of the King, they call him 'Zayn'. He is the weak spot of the whole nation. And we are going to use that against them."_

_"How do I find them?" - Liam dares to ask._

_"You don't." - The General answers instantly. "The Animas will find you."_

_Liam's brows knit together from confusion, but he stays quiet._

_"You are our only chance." - The General adds. He runs a hand through his grey hair and sighs quietly. "You are the faith our our nation. Don't forget it, Payne."_

The forest is supposed to be scary, dark and cold. Instead, it's calm and quiet - something Liam hasn't witnessed in a while. The leaves scrunch underneath his heavy boots as he walks down the narrow paths set by the nature itself. It's been eighteen hours of him wondering around the forest, trying to find anything that would help him to find the forest nation. But he found nothing. The bag on his back is getting too heavy, he run out of water supplies almost an hour ago, his feet are hurting and eyes are burning from the lack of sleep, but he continues to walk. He's been through worse, at least that's what he tells himself.

The last rays of sunshine disappear into the trees and the forest drowns into the night. Liam stops for a moment and looks around before grabbing a small flashlight from his bag and lightening it up. It barely lights the way, but Liam still manages to walk through. That, until he steps on something hard and loses his balance, all at once. He stumbles and tries to catch his balance, but fails miserably and bolts forward, sending himself down the small hill he's been walking on. The stones and branches scratch his face, dirt gets into his eyes and mouth as the world spirals around him. He feels every bump while he falls down the hill. The heavy bags drugs him even more and Liam is sure he will end up with several broken bones.

He slams his head on something big and hard and suddenly he feels nothing at all. Everything drowns in blackness and the forest disappears.

.

Black and white dots dance in front of Liam's vision. He tries to tear his eyes open, unglue the eyelids but fails. He can't feel his limbs, or any other part of his body. Maybe this is what death feels like? An infinity spend in nothingness. The thought sends a bolting spark through Liam's mind and causes him to let out a quiet whine. His head is throbbing from the piercing pain and something weird and wet is placed on top of it.

Finally, Liam opens his eyes and blinks through the blur. The sky is bright. It alarms him, as he clearly remembers walking through the night. Liam blinks several times to finally get the numb feeling to disappear and tries to sit up. _Bad idea._ he realizes as the horrible pain shoots through his head. He lifts his hand to touch the material that touches his skin, but freezes when he hears a quiet voice behind him.

" _Nolite Tangere. Est medicina._ " - It says. The voice is silky and almost velvety, a weird language alarms Liam. All the Cineres talk the same way. _Not this way._ The creature seems to catch his confusion and continues talking on the mutual language.

"It's an Arbor leaf. It helps with healing a wound. You've had a nasty fall, the leaf will help with a cut on your forehead." - The voice adds with a strange accent.

Liam swallows hardly and tries to control his breathing. He hoped he would find an Anima soon, but he had no idea he would end up being found by them instead. Especially while being wounded and weak. He feels the way his heart starts beating like a crazy, but he chooses to ignore it. Instead, he manages to sit up properly and turns his head slowly to meet the creature that helped him.

The sight he's met with stones Liam. The boy, probably of Liam's age, is kneeled in front of him and is staring right at him. His almond-shaped eyes are deep brown. His face is covered in small freckles and his lips are the darkest shade of pink Liam has ever seen. The long, black hair is pulled back into the braid that reaches the boy's thin shoulders. He is wearing nothing but green leather pants, so Liam can observe the dozens of strange tattoos scattered all over the boy's body. Liam has never seen anyone so beautiful and strange at the same time. 

The boy cocks his head to the side as he realizes Liam is staring at his body. Liam blushes violently and unglues his eyes off of the boy's torso.

"Who are you?" - The boy asks suddenly. 

Liam shifts awkwardly under his swirling gaze and tries to collect his thoughts, but the boy's undeniable beauty confuses and messes with his head.

"I-I'm-I got lost." - Liam mumbles. "I was walking through the forest and-"

"Why were you alone out here?" - The boy presses. His eyes narrow and he crawls closer to Liam. His nose scrunches as he sniffs the air around Liam and the recognition flashes through his eyes. 

Liam tries to get up on his feet, but fails miserable as the boy bolts up suddenly and in a blink of an eye grabs a bow and and arrow from the ground. The boy glares down at him and Liam lets out a gasp as a sharp end of an arrow almost touches his forehead. _So much for trying not to die. Good job, Liam._

"You're a Cinere." - The boy hisses with a disgusted look in his eyes. "I can feel the smell of ashes on the air you breathe. _Monstrifera malum!_ " 

Liam opens his mouth to say something in protest, but boy pulls an arrow even more and it shuts Liam's mouth.

"What are you doing in our lands?!" - The boy snarls.

"I-Please, I'm not here to hurt you." - Liam pleads with a shaky voice and lifts his hands in defense. "I-I got lost."

"It is forbidden for a Cinere to walk into the lands of the forest." - The boy hisses. "Tell me what are you doing here or I won't hesitate to let this arrow pierce your head."

Liam's eyes grow wide from the panic.

"Look, I-My people kicked me out! Please, you have to believe me! I'm not here to hurt you! I-They sent me here to meet my death. I was a prisoner back in the City and this was my death penalty. The-The forest."

"And they were right - you will for sure meet your death in here." - The boy nods with a cold look in his eyes. "What did you do to deserve such a horrible punishment?!"

"I was teaching the kids about your nation in my basement." - Liam says quietly. "And-And that's forbidden in the City. We can't talk about you or anything related to you. But I wanted to let the kids know about your world. I-I wanted them to know that a beautiful nation exist somewhere in the woods. I didn't know I'd get caught."

Liam repeats the lines he's been learning for months. And it seems to work, because after a moment of hesitation, the boy lowers an arrow and a bow. His eyes are still glued at Liam when he takes a step back, away from him. 

"Does it hurt?" - He nods towards Liam's head. Liam unconsciously touches his forehead before answering.

"Uh, a bit, yeah. It's fine, though. I'll be fine."

"Your story sounds absurd." - The boy tells Liam. "But your whole nation is absurd. I won't kill you, _yet_ , but it doesn't mean I will let you go. I do not trust you, _barbarus._ "

"Okay." - Liam replies quietly. He lifts his eyes to meet the boy's honey-colored ones. "I'm Liam, by the way."

" _Leeyum._ " - The boy tries his name on his tongue and, for some reason, it sends shivers down Liam's spine. The boy approaches Liam in one long step and lifts his hand. Liam squeezes his eyes, as he has no idea what to expect, but opens them after a second when he feels a gentle touch on his temple. The boy puts two fingers on Liam's temple while staring at him. " _Ego salutant vos, Liam._ "

Liam blinks at the boy confused, trying to think of the meaning behind the words.

"It means _I greet you_." - The boy adds as he notices Liam's confusion. His fingers trace the skin on Liam's temple softly. "This is how we greet each-other."

 _Oh._ The boy's words shoot warmth through Liam's chest. _He let Liam in._ So easily, so quickly. The guilt eats Liam alive. He lifts his own fingers slowly and places them on boy's temple as well.

" _Ego salutant vos,-_ " - Liam stops, as he realizes he doesn't know the boy's name yet.

"Zayn." - The boy finishes. "My name is Zayn."

Liam's breath hitches. _Zayn._ The son of the King. The weak spot of Animas nation. And now he gets why. This boy is everything that the prince should ever be. Gentle, beautiful, graceful, soft and _pretty._

" _Ego salutant vos, Zayn._ " - Liam repeats quietly. He lowers his hand and stops it in the space between him and Zayn, reaching it out for the boy to shake. "We shake hands back in the City. Here, I'll show you."

Zayn blinks down confused at the way Liam interlaces their hands together and shakes them gently. He stares at Liam's hands with his doe eyes captured with unbelievably long eyelashes and suddenly the corners of his mouth lift shyly as he tries to hide the forming smile.

"What a weird way to greet someone." - He giggles. _Giggles._ Liam wishes he could turn back time and never agree to this operation. But he knows the future of his nation is way more important than his feelings and thoughts. He smiles back at Zayn and shrugs.

"We never really knew any other way of doing it."

"Well, now you do." - Zayn tells him. His eyes stop on Liam's forehead and his brows knit together. "Let me take you to my village. We have a better medicine than the leaf I gave you. But if you try to do anything-"

"I won't." - Liam assures him. "I have nowhere else to go. Nobody wants me back at home."

Zayn stares at him for a moment, before jerking a nod. He puts the bow and arrow into the small bag striped to his shoulders and pulls out a small rope.

"I have to be sure you won't harm anyone. Until then, I have to tie your hands to protect my people. I apologize, I hope you understand."

Guilt is now nibbling on Liam's heart, eating it piece by piece. He lifts his hands and reaches them out.

"I get it." - He nods and gives the bot an assuring smile. Zayn gently ties his hands with his long fingers and steps aside. 

"Follow me." - He tells Liam. "Don't look into anyone's eyes when we reach my village. Don't turn your back at the King if he greets us. And-" 

"Yeah?" - Liam asks when Zayn stops talking and stares at him.

"Wipe that look away from your face. Don't be scared, Leeyum." - The boy smiles. "We're not monsters."

 _But I am_ Liam wants to scream. He doesn't. Instead, he follows Zayn as the boy starts walking through the woods. Liam thought he would be proud of this moment. But he feels nothing but emptiness in his souls. But it is worth it. His people, his world is worth it. _He hopes._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see end notes for latin translations

The forest is a never ending land. At least, that's how it feels to Liam. He's walking behind Zayn as the boy leads the way, carefully avoiding the small and branches and bushes. Liam feels guilty for stepping on plants as he walks, but that's not the only thing he feels guilty about. Zayn hasn't said the word since they started moving and it alarms Liam. He needs to know everything about the boy, his clan, his world. And maybe not only because it's his job. Maybe he is curious to understand this strange, beautiful creature.

"So, this village,-" - Liam starts talking after silence stretches for too long. "-what is it like? Is it like the community? Do you have houses? What do you eat?"

"You will see." - Zayn replies calmly without glancing back at Liam. Liam huffs a breath and rolls his eyes from the lack of response from Zayn. 

"Alright. What about you? Do you have a family? Friends? What are your interests?"

Liam bumps into Zayn's back and it causes him to stumble and nearly fall down. He blinks confused as Zayn turns around slowly and faces Liam. His eyes hold an unreadable expression and Liam gulps from the sight.

"You need to stop talking, _barbarian._ Only because I haven't killed you doesn't make us friends. I don't trust you, so if you want to continue existing, shut up."

Liam stares at Zayn for a moment, obviously surprised from the boy's reaction. He realizes that Animas are nothing like Cerenes. _They are wild, born and raised in the forest. Even their blood is different. They are not us and we are not them. We can't integrate and adapt with each-other. One nation needs to take over the other. That is the only way._

Zayn turns around and continues walking. Liam follows him, not daring to say anything else. 

.

Liam realizes they've reached the village when he spots a few of weird wooden constructions on top of the trees. They look like small houses, but obviously not made for living inside. Zayn doesn't stop walking when they pass the enormous gilded gates with plants spiraled all over it. Liam can't stop the gasp escaping his lungs as he examines the world around him. He expected the village made of wooden buildings and dirty constructions. Once again, the forest land ruined his expectations all at once. The village was not made of wood. It was made of gold. 

The tall houses, that look nothing like the ruins of skyscrapers back in the City, reach up to the sky. The walls are covered in gold and they reflect the sunlight, almost shining like an expensive jewelry. The narrow paths connect the buildings with each-other, creating small roads and streets. Rivers are gliding near the paths, bright-blue and clear, reflecting the sky like a mirror. Plants, bushes and trees are growing beside and _inside_ of the golden buildings, as if no one dared to touch the creation of nature herself. Liam notices paintings of a Goddess dressed in long, golden dress and holding a bow and arrows on some buildings. He remembers reading that Animas worship _Diana_ \- the goddess of the hunt, wild animals and wilderness.

Liam follows Zayn's steps like a zombie while looking around frantically and trying to remember every detail of the village. It is magnificent. He suddenly feels like he doesn't deserve to be here. Zayn stops walking when they reach a small bridge stretched over the river. The boy lifts his hand, indicating for Liam to stop and stand behind him. Liam obeys with no hesitation. 

Suddenly, a sound of quick footsteps approach them from the front and it raises anxiety in Liam's chest. He hasn't met or seen any Anima, other than Zayn, and it scares him. Not all of these people may be as welcoming as Zayn. They might decapitate him. Ouch. 

" _Tu es retrorsum!_ " - A raspy, kind of high-pitched voice exclaims. Liam follows the voice and finally spots the owner.

The short boy nears Zayn with a huge grin plastered on his face. His long, brown, feathery hair is pushed back with a golden hairband. His blue eyes and small features make him look like a real-life fairy and Liam gets a weird urge to coo the boy. The boy doesn't seem to spot Liam, his eyes are glued on Zayn while he approaches them.

" _Invenerunt me aliquid._ " - Zayn tells the boy quietly. "Don't scream, yeah?"

"Scream?" - The boy asks confused. Seems like all the Animas know the mutual language. "Why would I scream?" 

Zayn takes a step aside to let the boy get a look on Liam. Liam feels small under his gaze, and he wishes the ground would open and swallow him. The boy stares at Liam for what feels like an eternity, then takes a step back and suddenly pulls out a bow and arrow from his back. Liam wants to say something, protect himself in any way, but Zayn steps between them with his hands reached out. 

"No, no!" - He chokes. " _Amica est homo._ There's no need for that." 

"A Cinere?!" - The boy hisses, still aiming his arrow at Liam. "You brought an enemy to the village?!" 

"He's not an enemy, I promise you." - Zayn tells the boy. "You have to trust me." 

The boy hesitates for a second, and Liam thinks he is going to end up with an arrow in his head. But then he nods once and pulls an arrow away.

"As you wish, Princeps." - He says with an annoyed look and slightly bows his head at Zayn. It reminds Liam that Zayn is not just an Anima. _He is a fucking prince._

"Liam,-" - Zayn turns around to face Liam. "This is Louis, my dearest friend. Don't look into his eyes until he greets you." 

Liam nods and stares at the ground while Zayn shuffles out of the way and lets Louis approach him. He feels the boy's swirling gaze on his face but then two fingers touch his temple, the same way Zayn did back in the woods, and a quiet voice mumbles in front of him: 

" _Ego salutant vos, Liam._ " 

Liam lets out a sigh of relief and lifts his eyes to meet Louis' piercing blue ones. He realizes the boy isn't as intimidating as he looked at first. There is a hint of softness in his gaze and Liam clutches on it like his life depends on it. 

" _Ego salutant vos, Louis._ " - He repeats the greeting with a warm smile. Louis rises an eyebrow at him and then turns to face Zayn, who is standing beside Liam and anxiously biting on his nails. 

"Why is he here?" - He asks Zayn. 

"Long story." - Zayn sighs. "I need to see my father. Where is he?" 

"Just returned from the fishing." - Louis tell him. He glances at Liam once again. "Come on, I'll take you to him." 

. 

_Oh, wow._

The people of the village are staring at Liam as they pass them, following Louis' lead. No one dares to say anything, to ask any questions when they spot Zayn walking beside Liam. They bow their heads at the boy and shuffle out of the way. Liam feels uneasy as he stares down at his feet, too intimidated to look at anyone around them. He hears quiet whispers following them, but Zayn ignores them. They walk through the gilded doors and stop in the middle of a huge hallway. 

The floor and walls are covered with marble. The smell of herbs is filling up the building and it spins Liam's head slightly. Louis takes off his bow and places it on the floor. Zayn does the same, but before they can do anything, a sound of footsteps and deep voices echo through the hall. Liam's breath hitches as he realizes he is about to meet the King of Animas. He squeezes his eyes shut, but feels a soft touch of Zayn's fingers around his wrists and it causes him to open them back. 

After a moment, a few people walk through the door into the hallway. Liam remembers the rule of not looking into their eyes, so instead focuses on the floor underneath his feet. The footsteps cut off. 

" _A venandi es retrorsum. Fili mi,_ -" - The deep voice speaks. " _-qui est hic?_ " 

" _Hospitium meum et cessate._ " - Zayn responds. "His name is Liam. He is a Cinere." 

The hallway drowns in silence. Liam waits for the reaction. Maybe they will cut his head off, maybe they will hang him. Who knows. 

"Why is there a Cinere in our house?" - The man asks calmly, as if Zayn didn't just tell him he brought Liam - their blood enemy - into the house. 

"I found him in the forest, Father. He got lost. His people wanted to kill him, so they sent him off to our lands. He was teaching kids about our world." 

"Look up, Cinere." - The man orders. 

Liam feels cold and hot at the same time, but he dares to tear his eyes off of the floor and look up. He is met with a tall man with long, black hair and deep, brown eyes that look exactly like Zayn's. He is wearing a golden robe while holding a long sceptre in one hand. 

"He comes from the foreign lands. He doesn't have to follow our rules." - The king tells Zayn. His eyes meet Liam's scared ones. "Is my son telling the truth?" 

"Uh-Yeah." - Liam mumbles. "I-It's true. Everything Zayn said." 

King hums quietly. Liam spots a few other people gathered around the King, staring at Liam with wide eyes and parted lips. A pair of young boys are standing beside the king. One of them has long, curly hair that reaches his shoulders and emerald eyes. He looks like a china doll, pretty and porcelain. Liam wonders if he breaks when someone touches him. The other boy is staring right at Liam with his brows knitted together. He has big, blue eyes and blonde hair. His face is covered in small freckles and he reminds Liam of an elf. 

So far, he met a Fairy, a China doll and an Elf, if he doesn't count a beautiful Prince and a King of the nature world. _What a life._

"Come here." - The king orders suddenly. Liam doesn't dare to move until Zayn looks at him with a cocked head. 

"Leeyum." - He whispers. 

"No. No, I'm-He's gonna-" - Liam mumbles like a lost child. 

"Hey, no. Look at me," - Zayn stands in front of Liam to gain his attention. Liam meets his beautiful, warm eyes and the raging storm inside of him calms instantly. "My father is a Magus. He can feel if your heart is pure of evil by just touching your skin. I promise you, there is no need to be scared." 

_Well, he's screwed._ Liam's plan is going to be shattered in a few seconds, when the King touches him and realizes he's an enemy of his people. But not obeying an order is forbidden, so he hangs his head low and approaches the king. 

"My son seems to be quite fond of you, Cinere." - The King whispers when Liam stands right in front of him "I wonder why." 

"I-I have no idea, to be honest." - Liam shrugs. The King lifts his hand as he closes his eyes and places it on Liam's forearm. Liam trembles under his touch, too scared and intimidated. 

That's it. Here's the way Liam Payne dies on the mission. _Good bye, world. Don't miss me,-_

"Oh, I see." - The King says quietly, while his eyes are still closed. Liam gulps nervously. The touch disappears from his skin and Liam feels like it left a burning mark. The King opens his eyes and stares down, right into Liam's eyes. "Heart of gold with a lost soul." 

Liam's eyes grow wide instantly. He doesn't understand what the King means, but before he can say or ask anything, the King looks at the boys behind him with a warm smile. 

"Harry, Niall- meet our guest. His home rejected him, so we will give him a new one. Zayn, untie him." 

Liam's knees buckle underneath him, but before he meets the ground harshly, Zayn appears near him and grabs his hands. He unties the rope gently before looking up to meet Liam's eyes. A small smile plays on his lips. 

"The King likes you, barbarian." - He whispers at Liam with a fond look in his eyes. "That's a rare thing." 

" _Salve, peregrino!"_ \- The blonde boy exclaims with a huge grin as the King disappears from the sight. Liam smiles at him, before looking up at the curly one. 

"Hi, I'm Harry." - Harry drawls with a lazy smile and dimples on his cheeks. "I work in a Pistrina." 

"What's that?" - Liam asks Zayn with a whisper. 

"A bakery." - Zayn rolls his eyes. He grabs Liam's hands and tugs him towards the exit, leaving the boys behind. "Hey, have you ever seen a horse, Liam?" 

"A-What?" - Liam blinks confused while Zayn drags him out of the building. 

"Come on. There's so much you need to see and learn." - Zayn tells him with an excitement. Liam looks around the village once again. It looks too big and too beautiful for him. The guilt choke him to death. These people welcomed him with no hesitation. They are nothing like he expected them to be. They are not monsters, mutants, weirdos or freaks. They are people. Beautiful, kind people. And Liam is going to destroy them. _Destroy Zayn._

"This is too much." - He whispers under the breath. "This is so different compared to where I'm from." 

"Don't worry, barbarian." - Zayn tells him softly. "We'll make this feel like home." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Tu es retrorsum - you're back  
> *Invenerunt me aliquid - i found something  
> *Amica est homo - he is a friendly human  
> *Princeps - prince  
> *A venandi es retrorsum - a hunter is back  
> *Fili mi, qui est hic?" - who's this, my son?  
> *hospitium meum et cessate - my guest  
> *Salve, peregrino - hello, foreigner
> 
> Diana- ancient goddess of the hunt, wild animals, wilderness and the moon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Ego sum, nolite timere vos" - i am not afraid of you

"Are you sure it won't eat me?"

Zayn chuckles and shakes his head softly. He looks up at Liam, who is standing a few meters away from him with arms wrapped around himself and eyes wide. Zayn waves a hand for him to move closer, while gently stroking the horse's back with the other. Liam shuffles on the place hesitantly, then takes a few steps and stands beside Zayn, still eyeing the creature suspiciously. 

"It's-It's big." - Liam mumbles with his brows knitted together. _It really is._

"Isn't she pretty?" - Zayn hums as he interlaces his fingers into brown mane. "Come on, you can touch her."

"N-No, I don't think-"

"Come on, Leeyum." - Zayn rolls his eyes playfully. "She won't bite. She's actually very friendly. Or you want to tell me you're scared?"

 _Okay, rude much?!_ Liam huffs a breath and rises an eyebrow at Zayn, who grins at him and nod towards the horse. Liam hesitates for a moment before finally lifting a hand and slowly, gently places it on the horse's back. The warmth washes over his body instantly, as the soft, short fur touches his skin. He lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding and smiles with a relief.

"Wow." - He breathes as he traces the creature's back with his fingers. The horse doesn't move, doesn't kick him in the face as Liam expected. "She's beautiful."

Liam has never seen anything like this. They have guard dogs and a few homeless cats back in the City, but that's it. All the animals went extinct or ran into the woods decades ago. He has never seen a wild animal, let alone touched it. It feels surreal and unbelievable to him. Zayn shuffles closer to him as he continues to brush the horse's mane gently.

"Her name is _Gratia._ " - Zayn tells him quietly. "Means-"

"Grace." - Liam finishes. Zayn's confused eyes snap up at him. "I know some words in your language. Most of it comes from Latin, a dead language that antique Roman people used. There isn't much information about it or anything that belongs to you in our books, but I dug up some stuff."

"Stuff." - Zayn repeats quietly. "Like what?"

"For example, I know you-you believe in a goddess - Diana? I've read a few things about her. She's a goddess of nature, if I remember correctly. I saw some drawings in your village."

"She's actually the goddess of the hunt, the moon, _and_ nature." - Zayn adds. "But that's not all of it."

Zayn continues carefully stroking the horse's mane and Liam can't help but stare at the boy. He has never met anyone, who carried as much grace and beauty as Zayn does. The way his lips curve when he talks, how his lashes flatter or brows wrinkle. Liam feels something tugging in his stomach from the sight.

"Diana is also known as the virgin goddess of childbirth and women. She is the protector of every innocent child born in this world. She is the protector of our nation. There's this legend - it's called a myth of Actaeon. It's about a place - a small lake in the wooded valley of Gargaphie. There, Diana, would bathe and rest after a hunt. Actaeon, a young hunter, stumbled across the grotto and accidentally witnessed the goddess bathing without invitation. In retaliation, Diana splashed him with water from the pool, cursing him, and he transformed into a deer. His own hunting dogs caught his scent, and tore him apart. She is the symbol of our nation." - Zayn whispers the last words. He looks up at Liam, who's staring down at him with mouth wide open. "Do you know what that means, _barbarian?_ "

"Um, not really." - Liam tries to smile, but it drops from the sight of Zayn's serious expression.

"It means we don't tolerate creeps who observe us from the distance while we bare ourselves." - The boy explains slowly.

Liam's breath gets caught in his throat. Shivers run down his body and he opens his mouth to say something, but fails. Zayn stares at him with those big, beautiful eyes of him before interlacing his fingers into the horse's mane and jumping up on it, like a professional. He straightens himself and gently tugs the horse by the mane to make her take a few steps back. Liam stumbles back, nearly falling down flat on his ass. Zayn smirks and cocks his head to the side.

"Don't worry, Liam. I won't curse you. As long as you don't become an Actaeon." - The boy tells Liam. 

Liam only manages to jerk a nod and flash the boy a fake smile. Zayn smiles back and taps the horse's back.

"Come on, jump up. I'll help you up."

"I-I'm fine, really-"

" _Ignavus._ " - Zayn whispers and _hey, Liam knows what that means!_

"I am not a coward." - He states, slightly annoyed.

"Prove it then." - Zayn presses. "Prove me you're not a small bitch that's afraid of a poor horse."

Liam gasps loudly at this. He could never imagine Zayn saying something like this. _Zayn,_ doe-eyed, pretty little Prince with freckles and braided hair. Liam inhales sharply and follows the pattern of Zayn's actions earlier, holding himself by grabbing Zayn's sides. He jumps up on the horse, but struggles to stay upright.

"Hold onto me." - Zayn tells him. Liam obeys, wrapping his arms around Zayn's thin body. "I've got you, barbarian."

Liam rolls his eyes, ignoring Zayn's cocky comment and puts his head on the boy's back for more comfort.

"See? Told you there's nothing to be scared of." 

"Yeah." - Liam agrees. Distantly, he can feel the chronic guilt in his chest swirling holes into his heart, eating him alive, piece by piece. He can imagine himself being a freak who spies on a beautiful goddess, bathing under the moonlight. He definitely deserves to be cursed, killed or buried alive. " _Absolutely nothing to be scared of._ "

.

 

They come back to the village by the dusk. Liam feels exhausted from all of the emotions he had to experience today. He wants nothing more than to sleep in his comfortable, warm bed that waits for him in the City. Far, far away from where he is now. 

Zayn leads him through the dark village. Liam follows him into the small house with drained curtains and locked windows. Liam feels uneasy from the sight, but decides to not comment on it. Instead, he steps into the small living room (which is not decorated with gold and silver and everything _expensive_ , like every other place in this village) and looks around.

"Looks cozy." - He lies.

Actually, it's not cozy at all. Liam isn't sure if any even a tiny ray of daylight would be able to crawl into the cracks of the window. The room is dimly lit by the few candles located in the room and a burning fireplace that radiates quiet sounds around the house. Zayn kneels in front of it and stares at the small fire. The shadows fall on his perfectly sculptured face in different patterns, creating a beautiful sight for Liam to just stare on and drool. 

"Obviously, not as cozy as the castle from earlier where I met your father,-" - Liam tries to crack a joke. "-but still, it's cute."

"I live here." - Zayn says without his gaze leaving the fire. Liam doesn't try to hide surprise.

"You live _here?_ " - He asks as he approaches Zayn and sits down on the floor beside him. "But-But why? You have the whole golden castle to live in, with dozens of servants probably and-and everything you might need for a comfort."

"I don't need it." - Zayn says softly and looks at Liam. "I don't need gold, or servants or anything that belongs to me because of my father's position. I want _this._ Wooden walls, small rooms and a tiny fireplace. I need this to feel like a human, not like a God. Because I am not a God and I never will be."

"But you're a Prince." - Liam whispers, staring at Zayn's gentle, brown eyes. 

"I'm a human. An Anima - it means _soul_ in our language. I don't mean anything, I don't have anything, other than a mortal, rotting piece of flesh and a soul. And my soul doesn't need sparkly rocks or expensive jewelry."

"What does it need then?" - Liam dares to ask quietly.

"Peace." - Zayn breaths. "And this small house - it's a tiny part of my inner peace."

"And you're sharing it with me?" - Liam asks.

"Yeah." - The boy nods. "I trust you, _barbarian._ I have no idea why, but I do. I'd get it if you prefer to stay in the castle-"

"No, no." - Liam rushes and shakes his head. "I-I like it here."

Zayn smiles at him and looks back at the fireplace. Liam swallows hardly and tries to calm his hammering heart. _Liam is going to betray this boy. Liam is going to kill everything that this boy loves. Liam is going to kill Zayn._

"Thank you." - He chokes quietly, trying not to break down. "For-you know, trusting me with this. With _you._ "

" _Ego sum, nolite timere vos, barbarian._ " - Zayn whispers.

Liam doesn't understand what it means, but maybe it's for the best. He simply stares at the way fire slowly kills the burning wood, with Zayn by his side and prays for the morning to never come. Maybe that way it will last longer. Maybe that way Liam will never have to go against himself and betray Zayn's trust. _Maybe._


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hospes - guest  
> Nomen est ejus Liam. Ego curo eum. - his name is Liam. I care about him.  
> et peculiari - he is special
> 
>  
> 
> i apologize for minor mistakes

Silence is the first thing Liam feels when he disconnects his lashes and lets the sleep slowly crawl out of his mind. His ears ring from complete nothingness filling up the air around him. Back in the city, mornings were filled up with roar of military-truck motors and never-stopping shouts from the outside. But here, in the depth of forests - he is met with nothing but peaceful and quiet morning. That exact silence is probably what reminds him of his whereabouts and his nerve-wrecking mission.

Liam sits up in the small bed with white cotton sheets spread all over him. He must be alone in the house, as it's unable for a human being to stay _this_ quiet. But is Zayn even a human? Or is he a forest fairy that Liam has to cut off wings of? Or maybe an ancient greek God with cheekbones sharp enough to cut through Liam's bones? Maybe a fallen angel, even though Liam hasn't believed in anything holy since he was able to think and speak? 

He raises slowly from the bed and looks around, examining the room he was too tired to examine last night. It's small, warm and cozy - like everything else in this house. He notices a pile of clothes at the end of the bed and reaches out for it. There's a pair of leather pants and thin shirt for him to wear. He tries to stop himself from smiling, but fails. His heart clenches from how thoughtful Zayn is. He slips into the clothes, puts his own shoes and decides to finally walk out of the bedroom.

The wooden floor sends quiet sounds as he takes each step. Liam notices something that looks like a bathroom at the ends of the hall and dives towards there. He washes his face with cold water which only wakes him up even more. He is about to walk towards the living-room when someone clears their throat behind his back. _Liam definitely doesn't screech._

He swirls around while trying to catch his breath and is met with a mop of wild curls and deep green eyes.

"What?!" - He yells, trying not to sound too panicked.

"Morning, _hospes._ " - Harry grins and leans on the wall with his back. He crosses his arms on the chest and stares at Liam with a smug face. "Slept well?"

"Um, yes." - Liam nods and tries to calm himself. "What are you doing here?"

"Zayn asked me to look after you while he's out." - Harry shrugs a shoulder.

"I don't need anyone to look after me." - Liam scowls. "I'm not a child."

"Of course. But you're a stranger in our lands, you don't know our traditions and rules. You needs someone to guide you."

"And Zayn sent you?" - Liam raises a brow. "Where is he, anyways?"

"Nosy, aren't we?" - Harry smirks. "Come on, I'll take you to him." 

Harry pushes himself off the wall and leads Liam out of the house. Liam follows him like a lost puppy, but looks around when they step out and don't even bother to close the door.

"Shouldn't we, you know, lock the door?" - He asks dumbly. Harry chuckles and shakes his head without slowing down his pace.

"No. We don't steal, barbarian. You do, I know. You steal gold, money, families, lands, lives. You steal and steal until there is nothing left." - The boy says with a calm tone. "We don't do that here."

Liam can't think of anything to answer. Harry's words are filled with nothing but truth and it slices his heart in two. He steals, he is a thief. He came here to steal Zayn's life, steal everything and allow his people to steal the lands of Animas. Shivers run down his spine and he follows Harry wordlessly through the forest. They walk for what feels like an eternity when the trees start to appear smaller and less frequent. Instead, Liam feels the solid ground appearing underneath his feet and the surrounding turn brown with every step they take. Liam looks around and notices rocky mountains around him. It looks like a weird canyon, but not like the ones Liam has seen in old books. 

"Where are we?" - He dares to ask Harry, who stops near the edge of the cliff. 

"This place is called _Draco terra._ These rocks and cliffs underneath your feet used to be the bottom of the ocean. Now - it's a place to fly."

Liam blinks at Harry, who turns his back at him and stares ahead, into nothing but thin air.

"Did you-Did you say fly?"

" _Expecta videque_ , dear barbarian."

"What?"

"Wait and see."

"See wha-"

The words get lost in his throat and the sudden wave of air hits Liam in the face. The strong wind appears out of nowhere, sending the trees behind them bending with it and waving their leaves. Harry's curls follow the path of the violent flow of air, but the boy doesn't seem to mind. Instead, he barks a loud laugh and takes a few steps back. Liam follows, trying to shield himself from the wind with his own hands. He is about to yell the obvious question about the wind at Harry, but his vocal cords betray him from the sight.

The sound of enormous wings flapping echoes through the cliffs and in a second, probably the most beautiful and the most frightening animal Liam has ever seen swirls up from the edge of the cliff and slices the air as it flies into the sky. Liam's jaw drops to the ground and he isn't sure he is still breathing. The animal's skin is glistening with green and blue lights, its' eyes are as black as probably the darkest pits of hell. The mouth of creature is wide open is it lets out the unbelievably loud, brain-piercing and blood-freezing roar. Liam's knees buckle underneath him and he hits the ground painfully, still unable to tear his gaze off from the mythical creature in front of him.

_Draco terra._

_Draco._

"Dragon." - He whispers, more to himself than to anyone else, but Harry's smug grin indicates he heard Liam's shocked voice. 

"Not just a dragon, my friend!" - He yells over the wind coming from dragon's flapping wings. "A royal one!" 

Liam doesn't have to ask why the dragon is considered royal, because he notices a familiar mess of raven-hair, dark tattoos and almond-shaped eyes even from this distance. Long, delicate fingers are curled around the neck of the dragon, holding Zayn's body closer to the creature. Zayn is riding a dragon. _Zayn_ is riding a _dragon._ How great for Liam and his mental health. 

"Oh my God." - He chokes on air, eyes tearing up from wind and dust. 

Harry laughs hysterically and waves his hands over his head to gain Zayn's attention. The dragon lowers a bit and it almost sends Liam into hysterical tantrum. 

"You've scared the barbarian, Zayn!" - Harry shouts with a smile. "Come down!" 

Liam closes his eyes and tries to regain his calm posture. When he opens his eyes the dragon is already standing on the ground in front of him in a few meters. He realizes the wind has stopped, obviously, as the creature no longer flapped its' dark wings. He breathes heavily and coughs a few times. A hand lands on his shoulder and he bolts up on his feet, panicked and terrified. 

"Hey, no, no,-" - Silky voice fills up his mind. "It's me. Liam, it's me." 

_It's you._

"Zayn." - Liam breathes shakily. Zayn is standing in front of him, with a warm look in his eyes. His long hair is braided back, a few strands falling down his perfectly sculptured face. His bow and arrow are hanging on his back and he wears nothing but a tight pair of leather-pants. He looks mythical and ethereal. Liam doesn't even try to hide his staring. 

"I am so sorry for this." - Zayn pleas gently. "I had no idea Harry would bring you here, I know it must be shocking for you to witness this all." 

Oh, he wishes he could strangle Harry. 

"Dragon's aren't real." - He blurts. 

Zayn smiles softly and shrugs a shoulder. 

"They are, actually. Always have been. They are lonely creatures, they have chosen to live in peace and loneliness for centuries. But then, the half of the planet became an empty desert and these clever creatures decided to show themselves to us. We're taught to find out dragon-mate at a very early age and ride them. They help us with hunting, self-defense and many other tasks. We take care of them, give them food and protection. They are the cleverest creatures this world has witnessed." 

Liam still isn't sure how to breathe. 

"Aren't they agressive?" - He asks quietly. 

"Well, if they feel if you're out there to hurt them - they will not hesitate to burn you to ashes." 

"Oh my God, they breath fire, don't they?" - Liam asks panicked. 

Zayn laughs softly. 

"That they do. Please, don't be scared of my dragon. He is my first friend, the one I've grown with. He won't harm the people I care about." 

_You care about me._ Liam wants to disappear. _I'm sorry._

Zayn steps aside to let Liam get a better look at the dragon. The creature is staring at him with his black eyes, head cocked to the side slightly, showing his obvious interest. 

"His name is _Fides._ It means faith." - Zayn explains quietly. "He's a jealous little shit, hates when I spend time with my horses. But he knows nothing compares to our special bond." 

Zayn approaches the dragon in a few steps and runs his long fingers over the creature's head. The dragon lets out a quiet squeak and leans down to let Zayn scratch him better. Liam never thought that dragons could look so cute and _normal._

_" Nomen est ejus Liam. Ego curo eum._ " - Zayn whispers to the dragon. The creature eyes Liam while Zayn continues to scratch his head. " _Et peculiari._ " 

_"If you're lucky enough, you might find yourself your own dragon." - Harry tells Liam._

Liam rolls his eyes and glares at the curly boy. 

"You knew I've never seen a dragon in my life. You knew I'd be shocked and still bought me here." 

"Did I?" - Harry fakes a surprised tone. He nudges Liam's shoulder playfully. "Relax. We've welcomed you as our friend. I wouldn't do anything that would hurt you." 

Liam's lips tug up in a small smile. 

"I know." - He whispers. " _You_ wouldn't." 

"Come on, Liam." - Zayn calls his name. "Let's get back to the village. You still have to try our special wine." 

Liam grins at Zayn and nods. Somewhere in his heart, he feels better knowing Animas have dragons protecting them. Somewhere in his heart he hopes it helps to save Animas and defeat his people. Somewhere in his heart, he wishes he was never born in dusty lands of city. 

**Author's Note:**

> *Nolite Tangere. Est medicina. - don't touch it, it's a medicine.  
> *Monstrifera malum - evil monster  
> *barbarus - stranger


End file.
